For all those who are reading this for the first time, I was one of the loudest voices on the newsgroups speaking about a "Rapture on Feast of Trumpets" this for Sept. 1999.
I'm sorry. I was wrong. I was a prideful idiot. I deceived myself. I have spoken presumptuously and deserve death under the Law according to Deuteronomy... And I deceived others who believed me. I lusted after the promise of the Kingdom, and through my pride and arrogance, I thought I could divine the time, and/or that I was worthy enough to be given divine revelation. Obviously, I was preaching out of my vain imagination, because I came to the wrong conclusions. Nothing happened! I was wrong! I'm sorry!
Do you want to know what happened? My thoughts on how I went so wrong?
The Full Apology 27k
The Rapture of the Church, that great catching up of the Saints to meet the Lord Jesus in the air that the Apostle Paul spoke of in his first letter to the Thessalonians, has been for centuries the hope of every Christian. It has also been one of the most speculative. In Paul’s day they were expecting His return at any moment. Today, nearly 2,000 years later, little has changed. Christians continue to look up, waiting for the imminent return of Christ.
But is there a timetable involved? Jesus, speaking of His return as recorded in the Book of Matthew, chapter 24 verses 32-34 tells us, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."
So the Lord is telling us that certain things must first come to pass, and there will be a certain generation of people that will see these prophetic words fulfilled.
God does indeed have a Prophetic Timetable in relation to last days events, and this study attempts to search God’s Prophetic Timetable, and see where we are today.
When studying Bible prophecy there are certain things that cannot be overlooked. The Bible, God’s Holy Word, is the testament of His plan and dealings with and for all mankind. Included in this plan is the way of Salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. We see this from Genesis to Revelation. Because God’s Son is the central figure throughout the Scriptures, everything that is written always leads one to Christ. Therefore when studying prophecy, it too should always lead to Christ, as it is Him in which all things, past, present, and future, have been and will be fulfilled.
One will notice too that God is consistent. There is a definite pattern to God’s nature. He changes not. He is the same God today as He was yesterday. He will be the same God tomorrow and forever more. This consistent pattern can be seen in numerous ways, which will be discussed further on. Understanding this helps in understanding the future prophetic plans He has.
The next thing that must not be overlooked, and one that is most helpful in studying Bible prophecy, is the history of Israel. It is this nation that becomes the central importance to prophecy today, and in no way should be ignored. It is important also to have an understanding of the Jewish Feasts and Festivals that God gave to His people, as these are a foreshadow of things to come in Christ. This will be shown further along as well.
There is nothing trivial about God or what He has
written. Everything has value and significance. Numbers are very important
as well in God’s Master Plan, and we will see the significance of them
as events unfold.
THE SEVEN DAYS OF MEASURE
In the first chapter of the Book of Genesis we read that God created the heavens and the earth in six days. And in chapter 2 verses 2-4 we learn that-
"And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which God created and made."
"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made."
"These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens."
The word ended means "to be complete, to be
accomplished, to be fulfilled"
--Strong’s Number 03615
The word rested means "to cease, desist (from
labor), put an end to, to remove"
--Strong’s Number 07673
The word sanctified means "to be set apart,
be consecrated, to observe as holy"
--Strong’s Number 06942
The word generations in the context of this
verse means, "course of history (of creation etc.)"
--Strong’s Number 08435
From this we see that when the sixth day has ended, on the seventh day our work here will be complete. We will, as did God, enter into a day of rest, set apart unto God, thus completing the course of history in the written days of creation.
Why did God take seven days? Did God NEED them to create the heavens and the earth? No! Psalm 33:6,9 tells us that "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast."
God gave us the creation story to be prophetic of His blueprint for time. God took seven days to teach and show us about His 7,000-year redemptive plan. Each day in creation represents 1,000 years to time.
-Psalm 90:4-"For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night."
-2 Peter 3:8-"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day."
-Genesis 2:17-Speaking to Adam, God said "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
-Genesis 5:5-"And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died."
Adam didn’t die that day for Scripture tells us that he and Eve were to have many children and that Adam’s "days" are given. But Adam did die within the millennial day that he ate the fruit. Thus, we have further evidence that one day equals one thousand years.
Consider as well that today’s generation is one of only "six" previous generations of which it will be said, crossed over from –
-one year to the next year (1999-2000)
-one decade into the next decade (1990-2000)
-one century into the next century (1900’s-2000)
-and from one millennium into the next millennium
(1000-2000)
all at the same time.
Thus I believe we have the prophetic "week" of God’s plan. Man and the earth will labor for six days (6,000 years) but the last day, the 7th day, which lasts for 1,000 years will be a time of rest.
-Exodus 31:17
"It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.
-Hebrews 3:18 – 4:11
"And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.
So here we see that on the Sabbath, the last day
of the week, even as God entered into rest from all His works, so too shall
we enter into rest from our works. Just as God had sanctified the seventh
day, setting it apart for Himself, "…know that the Lord hath set apart
him that is godly for himself…" –Psalm 4:3
THE PROPHETIC SIGNIFICANCE OF NUMBERS
There are many Scriptures that point to "six" being the end of this age, followed by the future judgment to come upon the earth and to those who are not in Christ Jesus. The numbers "seven" and "three" share equally important prophetic value, as do the numbers "forty" and "thirty three". Not only do they speak of the end of this age, but of the gathering of the Saints to the Lord Himself, before that "great and terrible Day of the Lord."
Because we are near the end of this age (called Grace), that is to say we are in the final 6th day, we will first look at some verses that show the number six and their prophetic application in types and shadows.
-Genesis 7:6
"And Noah was six hundred years old when
the flood of waters was upon the earth."
-Genesis 7:11
"In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life,
in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were
all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven
were opened."
The above two verses speak of the number six followed by judgment, as do the following:
-Joshua 6:3
"And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war,
and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days."
-Joshua 6:14
"And on the second day they compassed the city once,
and returned into the camp: so they did six days."
-Joshua 6:15
"And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they
rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the
same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven
times."
-Joshua 6:16
"And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the
priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout, for
the Lord hath given you the city."
-Joshua 6:17
"And the city shall be accursed, even it, and
all that are therein, to the Lord: only Rahab (a type of the Church)
the harlot shall live…"
In 1 Kings 10:19 and 2 Chronicles 9:18 we read that King Solomon (a type of Jesus) had six steps to this throne and the 7th step was his throne. King Solomon sat upon the throne of his father David (1 Kings 2:12) and was given the throne of his father David (1 Kings 3:6-7). Jesus sat upon the throne of His father David and He was given the throne of His father David (Luke 1:30-32, Acts 2:29-30).
King Joash (a type of Jesus) was hidden in the temple
of God for six years. At the beginning of the 7th year,
Joash is crowned King of Israel.
-2 Kings 11:1-4
"And when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king’s sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the Lord six years. And Athaliah did reign over the land. And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the Lord, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the Lord, and shewed them the king’s son."
So has Jesus remained hidden for six thousand years from ruling and reigning on the earth physically as King. At the end of 6,000 years, He will be crowned King and rule and reign on the earth forever.
-Job 5:19
"He shall deliver thee in six troubles:
yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee."
The word deliver means "to snatch away, rescue,
to be torn out or away, to take away, to be plucked out"
-Strong’s Number 05337
Compare that with the following definition of "caught up" in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in which Paul is speaking of the rapture.
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together…"
The word caught up means "To seize, carry off by force, to snatch out or away"
The above two verses appear to compliment each other. One is speaking of being delivered after six troubles, while the other defines that deliverance at the rapture.
After six days (6,000 years), the resurrection of the dead in Christ will take place. Martha referred to this when she said that she knew that Lazarus would rise again at the last day.
-John 11:23
"Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again."
-John 11:24
"Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise
again in the resurrection at the last day."
-John 11:1, 5-6
"Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany,
the town of Mary and her sister Martha."
"Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.
When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two daysstill
in the same place where he was."
-John 11:39
"Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the
sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh:
for he hath been dead four days."
After six days we read in verse 43 that Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth."
In Genesis 1: 21-23, we learn that Adam’s bride Eve, was taken out and given to him on the sixth day. Those who are in Christ Jesus are referred to as His Bride.
Ezekiel 46:1, referring to the Temple, can be looked at as a type of Heaven, shut for six days and opened on the seventh.
-"Thus saith the Lord God; The gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened."
-Matthew 17:1-2
"And after six days Jesus taketh
Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into a
high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face
did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light."
It is not too difficult, to see the words "six days, Jesus taketh, and bringeth them up, apart," and not too difficult to apply them prophetically as pointing to the end of this age and the rapture of the Church on the seventh day. As I have mentioned previously, and will most likely mention several times more, there is nothing trivial in God’s Word. Every jot, every tittle, is significant in fulfilling all that Christ has set out to do.
Paul tells us in his first letter to the Corinthians in chapter 10, verse 11-
"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
The historical Jesus we see in the Books of the Old Testament through the Prophets and through the lives of Godly men and women, are an example, a type and foreshadow of the Jesus we see in the New Testament Books. The Jesus we see in the New Testament laid out many examples in the lives of His followers to be a picture of the Jesus we see today. And this picture helps us to understand the Jesus of tomorrow in our future, as is presented in the following—
-1 Corinthians 15:12-19
"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the
dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith
is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God: because we
have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up,
if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not
Christ raised: and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are
yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are
perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men
most miserable."
Every resurrection from the dead rests solely upon the resurrection of our Lord as its foundation, for without His victory over death, no other could be rescued from its grip.
-1 Corinthians 3:11
"For other foundation can no man lay than that is
laid, which is Jesus Christ."
His rising on the "third day" established the pattern for every resurrection.
-Matthew 20:17-19
"And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve
disciples apart in the way, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem:
and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the
scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, And shall deliver him to
the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third
day he shall rise again."
-Luke 9:22
"Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things,
and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain,
and be raised the third day."
-1 Corinthians 15:3-4
"For I delivered unto you first of all that which
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according
to the scriptures."
-Acts 10:40-41
"Him God raised up the third day, and shewed
him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of
God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the
dead."
Because, as we have read, that everything is given as an example, so too shall those who are in Christ Jesus rise on the "third day". Just as Jesus, on the third day showed Himself to His faithful witnesses, those chosen before of God, shall He also show Himself to us on the third day, when He calls the Church home.
Just as there are many Scriptures that indicate six days as being the fulfilled time of man there are many that refer to the third day as being the day of the Rapture, the marriage of Jesus to His Bride, the Body of Believers, both Jew and Gentile.
As we have seen, and will see even further, each day in creation represents 1,000 years of time in history. Just as we are coming to the completion of the 6th day, 6,000 years, we are also coming to the completion of 2 days, 2,000 years since Christ. We are about to enter the third day.
There are several instances of God’s restoration occurring on the third day, including Jonah’s deliverance from the great fish and most notably, the Lord’s resurrection from the tomb.
The following verses and scenarios will tell us what is to happen on the third day.
-Hosea 6:1-2
"Come, and let us return unto the Lord:
for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind
us up. After two days will he revive us: in the
third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight."
Here we have a fascinating picture of our two days, 2,000 years on earth as a Church, with the promise of being revived from all our labor on the third day, at which time the Lord Jesus will raise us up to live in His sight.
We read as well that Hezekiah was given the promise that he would go up to the house of the Lord on the third day.
-2 Kings 20:4-5
"And it came to pass, afore Isaiah was gone out
into the middle court, that the word of the Lord came to him, saying, Turn
again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the Lord,
the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears:
behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up into
the house of the Lord."
Hezekiah’s healing compares to the healing which is the subject of Hosea 6:1-2. The healing of the corrupt flesh by nature found only in the resurrection.
-Ezra 6:15
"And this house was finished on the third day
of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius
the king."
Jesus assured us that in His Father’s house were many mansions (John 14:2-3), and that He was going to prepare a place for us, after which He would come again, receive us unto Himself, that we may be where He is also. Using our third day and six year examples, we can see that the verse in Ezra is a picture of this house being finished on the third day and in the sixth year.
-Esther 5:1
"Now it came to pass on the third day, that
Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king’s
house, over against the king’s house: and the king sat upon his royal throne
in the royal house, over against the gate of the house."
This pictures Esther, coming into the King’s presence (Jesus) as a type of the Bride on the third day. Esther putting on the royal apparel is symbolic of the royal robes in which we will be clothed (Revelation 4:4, 6:11).
In Genesis 22:1-14, we read of a beautiful depiction of salvation. Abraham was to take his son Isaac (a type of Christ) and sacrifice him as an offering. In verse 4 we read, "Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off." Abraham’s looking up and seeing the place in the distance signifies that he had a view of a distant future sacrifice and resurrection. This can be affirmed in verse 8 where he assures Isaac that God would indeed provide Himself a lamb for an offering.
-Exodus 19:16-17
After warning the people to be ready against the
third
day in verse 15, we read, "And it came to pass on the third day
in the morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud
upon the mount, and the voice of the trumpet exceeding loud; so that all
the people that was in the camp trembled. And Moses brought forth
the people out of the camp to meet with God; and they stood at
the nether part of the mount."
Moses (a type of Jesus), on the third day led his people out of the camp to meet with God. Jesus too will bring us forth, out of this world, and we will see God face to face. We read also that the "voice’ of the trumpet was exceeding loud, which is itself a vivid symbol of resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:52).
-John 3:19,21
"Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this
temple, and in three days I will raise it up." "But
he spake of the temple of his body."
In 1 Corinthians 3:16 and 6:19, we read that our bodies also are the temple of Him in Spirit. "But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit." (verse 3:17)
Jesus rose the temple of His body on the third day in the resurrection, and will raise the body (temple) of believers on the third day in the Rapture.
In the Book of John we learn that there was a wedding on the third day.
-John 2:1-2
"And the third day there was a marriage in
Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was
called, and his disciples, to the marriage."
What I find most fascinating about this story is that the third day is accumulative to the seventh.
Day 1 – Begins with John’s account in 1:19
Day 2 – The next day in 1:29
Day 3 – The next day in 1:35
Day 4 – The following day in 1:43
Days 5,6,7 = The third day after Day 4 in John 2:1…And the third day there was a marriage…
So, we have four days. Add the three, the third day later, and you have seven days. The seventh day being the day we enter into God’s Rest, the day we are wed to Christ as His Bride. On the third day, on the seventh accumulative, there is a marriage.
We have seen previously that the seventh day belongs to God. It is a Holy day, set apart from all others. The number seven in God’s Word means "completion, fulfillment, and perfection. Let’s now look at some Scriptures that will indicate the number seven refers to a day of rest for us, the completion to our earthly ministry, and the entrance into His Kingdom, the fulfillment of all our hope, perfected in Him.
As we read earlier in Matthew 17:1 Jesus Himself gave us a foreshadow as to what will occur the seventh day. Aftersix days He took Peter, James and John to the mountain top, was "transfigured" before them and shone as the sun.
-Genesis 8:4
"And the ark rested in the seventh
month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat."
-Esther 2:16
"So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus
into his house royal in the tenth month, which is the month Tebeth, in
the seventh year of his reign."
In the above two verses, we see the word rested and taken in correlation to the word seven.
-Enoch, the seventh from Adam (Jude 14), was translated to Heaven (Genesis 5:24). We will discuss this further as we look into this generation saved by grace.
-Genesis 7:10
"And it came to pass after seven days, that
the waters of the flood were upon the earth."
In verse one we read that "the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." It was on the seventh day that God’s judgment upon the earth began. But not before He invited Noah and his house into the safety of the ark. You will notice that I used the word invited. This is because God was in that ark. The Lord didn’t tell Noah "go in". Instead, He said unto Noah, "Come". When someone comes to visit us, we invite him or her into our homes by saying, "come in". This presents a picture to us that on the seventh day, before the judgment known as the Great Tribulation comes upon the earth, the Lord will invite us into the safety of His presence.
Earlier, we looked at Job 5:19 and read that the Lord would deliver us in six troubles and that in seven no evil would touch us. As believers we are not of this world, but we cannot escape the fact that evil does touch us. One only has to watch the evening news or read the morning paper to see the evil that permeates all around us. As sinners saved by Grace and in constant need of forgiveness, we are subjected to thoughts and actions that are corrupt and evil. And this will continue to be so until we exchange this corruptible body and put on the incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:51-53). But we see in the above verse that we will only endure six troubles or years of troubles, and that in the seventh year no evil will touch us. The only way that evil cannot touch us is if we have been totally removed from its presence, and this will only be done through resurrection.
In the Book of Revelation, chapters 2 and 3, we have
the letters of admonition from the Lord to the seven churches. I do not
think it is by accident that the sixth church is the Church in Philadelphia,
commonly known today as the True Church made up of Bible believing, born-again
Christians. It is also the only church mentioned that has received a promise
from the Lord Himself (3:10)
-THE SEVENTH DAY IS ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH JUDGMENT-
This would only make sense as while the Believers are enjoying their rest in God’s Kingdom on the seventh day (Hebrews 4:4), and from a Pre-Tribulation Rapture view, there are seven years of judgment known as the Great Tribulation which follow.
We will consider a few-
-Exodus 7:19-21,25
"And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron,
Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon
their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their
pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood
throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels
of stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted
up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of
Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were
in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died;
and the river stand, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of
the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the
seven
days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river."
-Leviticus 26:18,21
"And if ye will not yet for all this hearken unto
me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins. And if
ye walk contrary unto me, and will not hearken unto me; I will bring seven
times more plagues upon you according to your sins."
Miriam, in her sin and failure to heed God’s Word through Moses, was shut out for seven days.
-Numbers 12:14-15
"And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had
but spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven days? let
her be shut out from the camp seven days, and after that
let her be received in again. And Miriam was shut out from the camp
seven
days…"
-Judges 6:1
"And the children of Israel did evil in the sight
of the Lord: and the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian (the place
of judgment) seven years."
-Judges 12:9
"…And he judged Israel seven years."
-2 Kings 8:1
"Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he
had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and
sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the Lord hath called for a
famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years."
THE GENERATION THAT WILL NOT PASS
So far we have seen that there is great significance in the numbers that God uses for fulfilling His will according to His purposes, and that there is a consistency to them, that results in a pattern. We see that mans days are set from the foundations of the earth, and that he is fast approaching the end of those days. But where does that put us in today’s Timeline?
Jesus referred to a certain generation that would not pass before His return. The parable of the fig tree speaks of Israel. Israel, which became a nation (prophesied by Ezekiel in 37:1-11) in 1948, while an historic event could not be the generation that Jesus spoke of, for we read that "When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves…" Israel is a still tender branch, only 51 years as a nation. However, since that time Israel did put forth leaves. In 1967, during the six-day war, Israel re-captured Jerusalem, Gaza, the Golan Heights, and the West Bank. So now we have the fig tree (Israel) that, while tender (a young nation), has put forth leaves (the re-capture of land on both sides).
This, I believe, is the exact generation that the Lord was referring to. This is the generation that will not pass.
But just how long exactly, is a generation? In doing a word search for the word generation in the Bible, the only years specified to a generation, is referring to how long it took one to die.
-Numbers 32:13
"And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel,
and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years until all
the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the Lord, was consumed."
-Joshua 5:6
"For the children of Israel walked forty years
in the wilderness, till all the people [that were] men of war, which
came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice
of the Lord: unto whom the Lord sware that he would not shew them the land,
which the Lord sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that
floweth with milk and honey."
-Psalms 95:10
"Forty years long was I grieved with [this]
generation,
and said, It [is] a people that do err in their heart, and they have not
know my ways."
The word generation in the above two verses, share the same definition, which is according to Strong’s -
01755 dowr {dore} or (shortened) dor {dore}
from 01752; TWOT - 418b; n m
AV - generation 133, all 18, many 6, misc 10; 167
1) period, generation, habitation, dwelling
1a) period, age, generation (period of time)
1b) generation (those living during a period)
1c) generation (characterised by quality, condition, class of men)
1d) dwelling-place, habitation
It is my belief, therefore, that the length of the generation referred to in Matthew 24:34 are those who are living during and in the space of forty years from the time that verse was fulfilled which was in 1967.
But before any skepticism might arise, consider the following -
-Matthew 1:1
"The book of the generation of Jesus Christ,
the son of David, the son of Abraham."
So let us see what the word generation means when applied to the generation of Jesus Christ.
Strong’s defines this word as -
1078 genesis {ghen'-es-is}
from the same as 1074; TDNT - 1:682,117; n f
AV - generation 1, natural 1, nature 1; 3
1) source, origin
1a) a book of one's lineage, i.e. in which his ancestry or
progeny are enumerated
2) used of birth, nativity
3) of that which follows origin, viz. existence, life
3a) the wheel of life (Jas 3:6), other explain it, the wheel of
human origin which as soon as men are born begins to run, i.e.
its course of life
Now let us look again at the verse Jesus referred to -
-Matthew 24:34
"Verily I say unto you, This generation shall
not pass, till all these things be fulfilled."
Again, let us look at what this generation that Jesus referred to, the generation that He said will not pass before His coming, the generation that sees those things spoken of, telling us that it (His return) is near, even at the doors, means.
According to Strong’s -
1074 genea {ghen-eh-ah'}
from (a presumed derivative of) 1085; TDNT - 1:662,114; n f
AV - generation 37, time 2, age 2, nation 1; 42
1) fathered, birth, nativity
2) that which has been begotten, men of the same stock, a family
2a) the several ranks of natural descent, the successive
members of a genealogy
2b) metaph. a group of men very like each other in endowments,
pursuits, character
2b1) esp. in a bad sense, a perverse nation
3) the whole multitude of men living at the same time
4) an age (i.e. the time ordinarily occupied be each successive
generation), a space of 30 - 33 years
The generation spoken of in Numbers 32:13 and Psalms 95:10 was forty years, from judgment beginning to judgment end. We will learn later that the number
"forty" refers to a period of trials, probation, testing, and completion of judgment.
The generation of Jesus, those who are ‘in Christ’, who are alive at His return, is between the space of 30-33 years. When you add those 30-33 years to the year 1967, the year in which the generation began, you arrive at the years 1997-2000. June 10th 1999, was the 32nd year of Israel’s victory, so I believe it is safe to say that, not only are we the last generation, but we are in the last year of the generation spoken of. We are now in the 33rd year. When you add to the 33 years 7 more, which are the Great Tribulation, you have the complete forty-year generation that will conclude God’s dealings with man.
Forty appears to be a number of complete judgment and/or testing as well as that of a whole generation.
-Genesis 7:4
"For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain
upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living
substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth."
-Numbers 14:33
"And your children shall wander in the wilderness
forty
years, and bear your whoredoms, until your carcases be wasted in the wilderness."
-Deuteronomy 25:3
"Forty stripes he may give him, [and] not
exceed: lest, [if] he should exceed, and beat him above these with many
stripes, then thy brother should seem vile unto thee."
-Ezekiel 4:6
"And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again
on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah
forty
days: I have appointed thee each day for a year."
-Ezekiel 29:11
"No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot
of beast shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty
years."
-Matthew 4:2 (Speaking of Jesus)
"And when he had fasted forty days and
forty nights, he was afterward an hungred."
-Mark 1:13
"And he was there in the wilderness forty
days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild bests; and the angels ministered
unto him."
-Luke 4:2
"Being forty days tempted of the devil. And
in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward
hungered."
There are also some other interesting associations with the number forty.
-Genesis 25:20
"And Isaac (a type of Christ) was forty years
old when he took Rebekah (his Bride)."
-Exodus 24:18, 34:28
"And Moses (a type of Christ) went into the midst
of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount
forty
days and forty nights. And he was there with he Lord
forty
days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water.
And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the ten commandments."
-2 Chronicles 24:1
"Joash (whose name means "Yaweh has given") was
seven years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years
in Jerusalem."
-2 Chronicles 9:30
"And Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel
forty
years."
-2 Samuel 5:4
"David [was] thirty years old when he began to reign,
[and] he reigned forty years."
-1 Kings 2:11
"And the days that David reigned over Israel [were]
forty
years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three
years reigned he in Jerusalem."
At first glance the above verses may not seem significant, but let me share with you one more -
-Acts 1:3
"To whom also he (Jesus) shewed himself alive after
his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty
days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God."
Could the forty days that the Lord walked the earth after His resurrection and before His ascension have anything to do with the completion of a forty-year generation and His return for the Church? Is there a pattern to this? Consider the following –
-John 20:19
"Then the same day (of Christ’s resurrection) at
evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where
the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood
in the midst, and saith unto them Peace be unto you."
From that verse in Scripture until verse 26, seven days later, after the eighth day, do we read of another meeting. There is no account of the Lords whereabouts or that of His disciples. We can only assume that Jesus was with them during these seven days.
Now if we apply the forty days that Jesus remained after His resurrection, and compare them to the forty-year generation, we come up with quite a pattern. Remember there are seven years reserved for judgment in the Great Tribulation, to an unbelieving, Christ rejecting world. The Church will not see this judgment. Of the complete forty-year generation, there are 33 years to the Jesus generation. Of the 40 days that Jesus ministered, He was assembled with His disciples, the doors being shut, for 7 of them. This indicates to me a picture of our being with the Lord in Heaven during the tribulation, the prophetic 70th week spoken of by the prophet Daniel.
-So far we have seen that the generation of Jesus is 30-33 years. All but one year has passed, putting us in the last year.
-A complete generation according to Numbers 32:13, Joshua 5:6 and Psalms 95:10, with reference to a specified number of years and judgment, and which not only can be applicable to the generation Jesus refers to, but also fitting, is forty years, leaving us with seven years remaining.
-Jesus’ life and ministry lasted 33 years, supporting even further that when added to the year 1967 equals 2000, which is the "Third Day" in God’s Prophetic Timetable and the "Seventh Day", collectively.
-Seven of the 40 days after Christ’s resurrection were spent with His disciples, in a room with the doors closed, leaving 33 days, at which time He ascended to Heaven to be with the Father.
-Seven years are reserved for God’s judgment on the unbelieving world that has rejected Jesus Christ.
-Those seven years added to the 33 years give us the forty years.
Consider also a sequence of events surrounding His last 40 days on earth. There are recorded three appearances to His disciples during those days.
-The first appearance was the same day He rose (the
third day) from the grave. The only disciple missing at that assembly was
Thomas (the doubter).
-John 20:19
-The second appearance was eight days later. This time Thomas was present. –John 20:26
-The third appearance (John 21:14) was with seven of His disciples. Jesus shared a meal with them, and it was on that day, the 40th day, that He ascended.
Prophetically, we have a picture as follows –
-The first appearance, on the prophetic "Third Day", the same day He rose, could be a picture of the Rapture, the gathering of believers in Christ, who rise just as He did, to be with Him forever more. Those who believe without seeing (John 20:29).
-The second appearance, on the eighth day, could be a picture of the Lord’s Second Coming in Glory (Revelation 19:11-16). That which occurs after the seven year tribulation, and in which all will see Him and believe, just as Thomas did (John 20:29).
-The third and final appearance could be a picture of the millennial reign of Christ, in which the saints live and reign with Him on the earth.
SOME FURTHER NOTES OF INTEREST –
I came across this one day and found it quite interesting –
But as the "days" of Noah "were"…
Genesis chapter 5 speaks of the generations of Adam (6th day). In that "day" God created man. We are in that 6th day which is almost over.
Genesis 5:1-32 CHAPTER 5
1- This is the book of the generations of Adam. In
the day that God
created man, in the likeness of God made he him;
3- And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and
begat a son in his own
likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:
130 years;
6- And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and
begat Enos:
130 + 105 = 235 years
9- And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
235 + 90 = 325 years
12- And Cainan lived seventy years, and begat Mahalaleel:
325 + 70 = 395 years
15- And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and
begat Jared:
395 + 65 = 460 years
18- And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years,
and he begat Enoch:
460 + 162 = 622 years
21- And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat
Methuselah:
622 + 65 = 687 years
25- And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven
years, and begat
Lamech:
687 + 187 = 874 years
28- And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years,
and begat a son:
874 + 182 = 1056 years
29- And he called his name Noah, saying, This same
shall comfort us
concerning our work and toil of our hands, because
of the ground which
the LORD hath cursed.
Genesis 9:28-29
28- And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years.
29- And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and
fifty years: and he
died.
1056 + 950 (Noah's years till he died) = 2006
2006 - 7 (years tribulation) = 1999
Two Genealogies and The Flood (judgment)-
Scripture records that there were two genealogies before the Flood – the line of Cain (Genesis 4:17-22), and the line of Seth (Genesis 5:1-32). The lineage of Cain terminates with the seventh generation, but the lineage of Seth continues beyond that point, with the seventh from Adam, Enoch, being removed (translated) from the earth alive.
It is evident from the Scriptures that wickedness and corruption reached a peak in the seventh generation of Cain’s lineage. This generation ended in violence (Genesis 4:23, 5:5), and "seven" as we know is also the number of perfection, showing the completeness of that which is in view.
In the revealed chronological order of events in Genesis, nothing lies between the termination of Cain’s lineage following seven generations and subsequent judgment of the Flood. So it appears that from this order is the fact that man in his violence and corruption will not be allowed to continue beyond the point indicated by the number "seven". This was true during Noah’s day, and it will remain true during the present day. A complete period within ‘man’s day’ ran its course in history, and judgment (the Flood) followed. Another complete period will also run its course during the present day, and judgment (the Tribulation) will once again follow.
When we look at the lineage of Seth though, it reveals something entirely different. The seventh from Adam through this line was Enoch, a man who "walked with God", "a man of faith" (Genesis 5:22, Hebrews 11:5). And the lineage of Seth does not terminate with the seventh generation, as did Cain’s. Instead, the genealogy continues, for God had a purpose behind man’s creation, which must ultimately be realized. And the only association which can be found between the seventh from Adam (Enoch) and the judgment of the Flood, is the fact that Enoch was translated before this judgment.
The chronological order of events in Seth’s lineage shows "translation preceding judgment", after seven generations. Here again is the fact that just as one man was translated at a point showing completeness (seven) and preceding judgment (the Flood), the same thing is going to occur during the present day.
Thus, the seventh generation from Adam through Cain terminated with wickedness and corruption, followed by judgment, but the seventh generation from Adam through Seth terminated with the translation of a righteous man, preceding judgment.
"I have come into the world as a light…"-
-Genesis 1:14-19
"And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament
of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs,
and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in
the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the
lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them
in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, and to rule
over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness:
and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were
the fourth day."
The above creation account of the fourth day, is also a very deep and profound account of the coming of the Lord Jesus.
Malachi was referring to Christ, where in Genesis it says the "Sun" was created on the fourth day, in chapter 4 verse 2 of his book-
"But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall."
Just as the sun was created on the fourth day, so too in the closing moments of the fourth millennial day, was our Lord brought forth. He came as the greater light, created on the fourth day to govern the day, as He himself declared in John 12:46 -
"I am come a light into the world, that whosoever
believeth on me should not abide in darkness."
- - - - - - -
Hosea referred to this fourth (millennial day) as well. He lived during the fourth millennium, and correctly said in chapter 6 verse 2 –
"After two days (2000 years) will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight."
Because Hosea lived during the fourth millennium,
his prophetic two days, or two thousand years would correctly take us to
the end of the 6th day or 6000 years in time, at which we will
live in the sight of the Lord.
- - - - - - -
In Genesis 22:1-19, we read the account of Isaac. Isaac was bound on the altar at the end of the fourth day. Jesus died on the cross at the end of the fourth millennium. Abraham returned to his servants and they went off together, but there is no mention of Isaac. In fact Isaac isn’t seen again until Genesis 24:1-67. So Isaac (Jesus) goes up to Moriah carrying his wood (cross) and he is bound on the altar at the end of the fourth day (millennium, year 4000), and is not seen again until Eliazer*, Abraham’s servant (Holy Spirit) whose name means "comforter", brings Rebecca** his bride (the Church) to the land of Israel.
*In Hebrew means – The God of help (as in the
Helper)
**In Hebrew means – Restrained
- - - - - - -
I have established what I believe to be, the generation
that sees the Return of the Lord. I have also come to the conclusion, based
on all the research thus far, that we are in the last year of this generation.
But can we know more? Can we narrow it down to a specific season? I believe
we can once we understand the historic and prophetic applications of God’s
Appointed Feasts.
THE FEASTS AND FESTIVALS OF THE
LORD
- The Season of Knowing -
One of the most profound studies I have ever done, and one that has brought significant spiritual understanding, is that of the Lord’s Feasts. These Feasts, found in the Book of Leviticus chapter 23, were given to us by God so that we could learn and understand God’s plan of redemption for all mankind, and our personal relationship to Him.
The study that I found to be most informative, was "The Seven Festivals of the Messiah" by Eddie Chumney. I highly recommend its reading, and will include a link to each Festival as they are presented.
In Colossians 2:16-17 we read –
"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink,
or in respect of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the
sabbath days: which are a shadow of
things to come: but the body is of Christ."
In this verse Paul is telling us that the Feasts, which are holy days, are a shadow of things to come. This means that they are in themselves, prophetic. There are seven Feasts that God gave, each having a Historic, Messianic (prophetic), and Spiritual application. These are –
HEBREW NAME ENGLISH NAME TIME OF OBSERVANCE
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts1.htm
(introduction)
1. Pesach
Passover
Nisan 14
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts2.htm
2. Hag HaMatzah
Feast of
Nisan 15-21
Unleavened Bread
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts3.htm
3.Bikkurim
First Fruits (of the
The morrow after the
Barley Harvest)
sabbath during Hag
HaMatzah
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts4.htm
4. Shavout
Feast of Weeks/
Fifty days from the
Pentecost
Feast of First Fruits
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts5.htm
5. Yom Teruah
Feast of Trumpets
Tishrei 1
(Rosh HaShanah)
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts6.htm
- - - PLEASE NOTE - - -
The first and second days of the 10 High Holy Days
(Tishrei 1-10) are collectively known as one day. (Nehemiah 8:1-2,13) The
seven-day period from Tishrei 3 through Tishrei 9 is called the "Days of
Awe" or the "Awesome Days." God gave these special days on His calendar
to teach us about the future tribulation period on earth. These seven days
will correspond to the seven years of the tribulation, known in Hebrew
as the "birthpangs of the Messiah". Therefore Rosh HaShanah also marks
a Day of Judgment.
6. Yom Kippur
Day of Atonement
Tishrei 10
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts7.htm
7. Sukkot
Feast of Tabernacles/
Tishrei 15-21
Booths
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Cottage/1651/feasts8.htm
For those who do not wish to read the above chapters, perhaps you will notice and compare the significance of the Feasts –
HISTORICAL APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS
FEAST HISTORICAL ASPECT
1. Passover Israel’s deliverance out of Egyptian bondage
2. Unleavened Bread The going out of Egypt
3. First Fruits Crossing the Red Sea
4. Pentecost Giving the Commandments at Mount Sinai
5. Rosh HaShanah
Blowing the ‘Shofar" (trumpet)
(Feast of Trumpets)
Jewish New Year
6. Day of Atonement
Priest entered the Holy of Holies
Cleansing of the people’s sins
7. Tabernacles Entering the Promised Land/Great Rejoicing
MESSIANIC APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS
FEAST MESSIANIC FULFILLMENT
1. Passover Death of Christ on the Cross (tree)
2. Unleavened Bread The burial of Jesus
3. First Fruits The resurrection of Jesus
4. Pentecost Pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2)
5. Rosh HaShanah
The resurrection of the dead/
(Feast of Trumpets)
Rapture of the believers
6. Day of Atonement The day of Christ’s Second Coming
7. Tabernacles The Messianic Era/Millennium
SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF THE FEASTS
FEAST SPIRITUAL APPLICATION
1. Passover Repent and trust by faith in the shed blood of Jesus
2. Unleavened Bread
Sanctification and separation from evil represented
by water immersion (baptism)
3. First Fruits Walking in newness of life
4. Pentecost
Immersion (baptism) in the Holy Spirit
and faith in God
5. Rosh HaShanah
Hearing the calling (shofar [trumpet]) of God
(Feast of Trumpets)
for our lives
6. Day of Atonement
Yielding ourselves to God so that we may live
(face to face) in His Presence
7. Tabernacles
A daily rest in the Messiah and having the rest of
His Kingdom in our hearts
SIGNIFICANCE IN BRIEF
1. Passover
Reminds us that God is the forgiver of sin who grants
us eternal life in His Kingdom through the sacrifice of
Jesus Christ, our Passover
2. Unleavened Bread Depicts putting sin out of our lives
3. First Fruits
Christ, the firstfruits risen from the dead, afterward,
those who are Christ’s at his Coming
4. Pentecost
Serves to remind us that our Creator still works
miracles, empowering us to carry out His work in
this world
5. Rosh HaShanah
Looks forward to the return of Jesus Christ
(Feast of Trumpets)
(rapture of the Church), and to the resurrection of the
"dead in Christ" –the hope of all Christians
6. Day of Atonement
Pictures the loving reconciliation we have with God,
made possible through Christ’s sacrifice. It also
shows the remarkable truth that Satan will eventually
be removed so that humanity can at last attain
reconciliation with God on a universal basis
7. Tabernacles
Represents the Millenium, the reign of Christ on
Earth for 1,000 years of true happiness and utopia
To fully understand the Feasts being appointed times given by God, it is important to understand the Biblical Calendar that God gave to us. There are two primary calendars in the Bible. The first one is called the Civil Calendar and is used from Genesis 1:1 to Exodus 12. The first month in the Civil Calendar is Tishrei. Rosh HaShanah, or the Jewish New Year, the first day in the Civil Calendar, is the beginning of the New Year. The second calendar in the Bible is the Religious Calendar. The Religious Calendar is used from Exodus 12 to Revelation 22. God established the Religious Calendar in Exodus 12:2- "This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you." The month that God was referring to was the month which is called Nisan. Prior to God establishing the month of Nisan as the first month in the Religious Calendar, Nisan was the seventh month in the Civil Calendar. God gave the Religious Calendar so that we could understand that these Feasts, which He gave and which are His appointed times and foreshadow important events in redemption, would happen on the days He ordained on the Religious Calendar. These important days on the Religious Calendar are the same days that He gave as Festivals in Leviticus, chapter 23.
Thus, when studying Bible prophecy and using dates, we must always refer to the Hebrew calendar.
THE BIBLICAL CALENDAR AND THEIR MONTH OF THE YEAR
NAME
OUR
MONTH OF
MONTH OF
OF MONTH
MONTH
CIVIL YEAR
SACRED YEAR
Tishrei
Sep
1
7
Cheshvan
Oct
2
8
Kislev
Nov
3
9
Tevet
Dec
4
10
Shevat
Jan
5
11
Adar
Feb
6
12
Nisan (Aviv)
Mar
7
1
Iyar
Apr
8
2
Sivan
May
9
3
Tammuz
June
10
4
Av
July
11
5
Elul
Aug
12
6
THE BIBLICAL DAY
The Biblical day goes from evening to evening, from sundown to sundown, which is roughly 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (Genesis 1:5)
The day (6:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) is divided into two 12-hour periods.
-The evening runs from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
-The morning runs from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
-Each 12-hour period is divided into two smaller
portions.
-From 6:00 a.m. to noon is the morning part of the
day.
-From noon to 6:00 p.m. is the evening part of the
day.
The phrase, "between the evening" refers to the period of the day that goes from noon to 6:00 p.m., which is exactly 3:00 p.m. This would be the ninth hour of the day, counting from 6:00 a.m.
* * * * * * *
As you can see, the first four Feasts have been
completely and perfectly fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Fall Feasts, the
last three Feasts have yet to see fulfillment prophetically. Because the
first four were completed in Christ, we can be guaranteed that the last
three will be also.
Thus, we have our "season of knowing".
But, you might ask, what about the verse in Matthew
24:36 where Jesus says,
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not
the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
ROSH HASHANAH is the ONLY FESTIVAL in which NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR in which it begins.
The following is an excerpt from the study of this Feast –
Rosh HaShanah is also referred to as 'Yom Teruah', the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar, or the Day of the Awakening Blast. On Yom Teruah, the Day of the Sounding of the Shofar, it is imperative for every person to hear the shofar.
Yom Teruah (Rosh HaShanah) is the only festival that no man knows the day or the hour in which it begins. This is due to the fact that it begins on the new moon. The new moon was sanctified when two witnesses see the new moon and attest to it before the Sanhedrin in the Temple. This sanctification could happen during either of two days, depending on when the witnesses come. Since no one knew when the witnesses would come, no one knew when the Feast of Trumpets would start. On the 30th of each month, the members of the High Court assembled in a courtyard in Jerusalem, where they waited to receive the testimony of two reliable witnesses. They then sanctified the new moon. The new moon is very difficult to see on the first day because it can be seen only about sunset, close to the sun, when the sun is traveling north. So, looking for a very slim faint crescent moon, which is very close to the sun, is a very difficult thing to do. If the moon's crescent was not seen on the 30th day, the new moon was automatically celebrated on the 31st day. For this reason, Yom Teruah is always celebrated for two days. These two days are celebrated as though it is just one long day of forty-eight hours. The reason that it is celebrated for two days is because if they waited to start the celebration until after the new moon had been sanctified, they would have missed half the celebration because the new moon can only be sanctified during daylight hours. The command seems to be that we know the season, but not the day or the hour (Matthew 24:32-36).
Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets, is the only feast that we do not know the day or the hour in which to keep it. Therefore, we have to be on the alert and watch for it.
* * * * * * *
It is interesting to note as well, that this year’s
Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah) falls on the seventh day of the
week, a Sabbath, the Day that God has ordained as the Day of Rest. This
day will begin the seventh day or 7,000 year since Creation, and bring
to an end the 6th day. The Hebrew calendar shows the dates for
this Feast as Tishrei 1 and 2, Saturday and Sunday. On our Gregorian calendar,
this will be September 11th and 12th. Because the
Jewish day begins at sundown or approximately 6pm, Elul 29-Tishrei 1 will
be seen as day one, and Tishrei 1-2 will be day two, concluding at sundown
on Tishrei 2.
A TIME OF HARVEST
Something I came across that was interesting as well refers to the harvest. As mentioned, this years Feast of Trumpets falls on a Sabbath. Next year’s does as well, the dates being September 30 - October 1. So, in trying to determine if this year’s Feast was more fitting to a time schedule, I considered the following verses—
-Jeremiah 8:20
"The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we
are not saved."
We know that spiritually speaking, the harvest refers to believers in Christ. This year’s Trumpets Feast (the first of the Fall Feasts) falls just before the end of the summer season, while next years will be after the fall season has begun. With that in mind, and considering chapter 8 is dealing with judgment and lamentation because of that judgment, it is possible that this could be a picture of the "harvest", the catching up (harvesting) of God’s people in a rapture that could very well take place at summers end this year.
-Jeremiah 5:24
"…let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth
rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto
us the appointed weeks of the harvest."
In the "Seven Festivals of the Messiah", we learned that the former and latter rains are representative of Christ, confirmed in the Scriptures, and how Israel experiences two rain seasons- spring time and fall time, which are also the two seasons of the Festivals. So again we may see a connection to the harvest, the season, and the rain (Christ).
-Micah 7:1-2
"Woe is me! For I am as when they have gathered
the summer fruits, as the grape gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster
to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruit. The good man is perished
out of the earth: and there is none upright among men…"
Chapter 6 of Micah speaks of the plea of God for repentance after presenting a case against them. The people have ignored God’s grace and chosen wickedness instead.
If the summer fruits (believers) have been gathered (raptured), then this verse sounds like one has realized that he is not part of that harvest, therefore left behind. "There is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first ripe fruit." This is not a physical snack being spoken of, but a spiritual one. "The good man is perished out of the earth, there is none upright among men." Again, this could be a picture of God’s Church being removed (raptured) from the earth.
-Isaiah 57:1
"The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to
heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous
is taken away from the evil to come."
Verse 2 goes on to say that they shall enter into peace and rest. The Hebrew word for taken is "asaph" which means "gathered". This may be a parallel verse to Micah 7:1-2 when you consider it in the context of rapture or harvest.
-Amos 8:1-2 (best to read the whole chapter)
"Thus hath the Lord God shewed unto me: and behold
a basket of summer fruit. And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said,
a basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, the end is come upon
my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more."
Again I see a gathering (rapture) in this verse as
being in the summer, the basket of fruit being the believers in Christ
Jesus.
JESUS WILL PROCLAIM A "JUBILEE" AT HIS COMING
Another thing of prophetic significance to this year, and of importance to learning, are the Jubilees. The Year of Jubilee begins on the Day of Atonement, while the Seven-Year Jubilee begins on the Feast of Tabernacles.
.We are now in the Year of Jubilees, having started on 10 Tishrei or our September 30,1998. We are also in the Seven Year Jubilee, which began Tishrei 15 or our October 5,1998.
There are two Jubilees that the Lord gave –
-One every seventh year- Leviticus 25:4
-One every fiftieth year- Leviticus 25:8-10, which we will look at first.
A Jubilee Year occurs every 50 years. The 6,000 years of man will exactly complete 120 Jubilee Years. (And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years) Of interest is that the root 12 in the number 120 is significant in that the number 12 denotes a completion number for man. There were 12 Children of Israel, creating 12 tribes of Israel. There were 12 Disciples of Jesus.
The very first Jubilee deliverance was in the time of Moses, when God released the slavery of the Hebrew Jews from the hand of the Pharoh, thus the Proclamation of Liberty throughout all the Land.
The last Jubilee, in the year 1948, the hand of the Lord again delivered His people from the slavery of other nations. The land of Israel was given back to the Jews, the rightful owners, given by God, promised to Abraham.
In Isaiah 61:1-2 we read –
"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because
the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath
sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptableyear
of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that
morn."
We will now learn how this Jubilee prophetically ties in with the Lord’s return during this year’s Jubilee.
-Ezekiel 46:16-17
"Thus saith the Lord God; If the prince give a gift
unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons’; it shall
be their possession by inheritance. But if he give a gift of his inheritance
to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty; after
it shall return to the prince; but his inheritance shall be his sons’ for
them."
-Leviticus 25:8-10,13
"And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto
thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years
shall be unto thee forty and nine years. Then shalt thou cause the trumpet
of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day
of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout
all the land unto all the inhabitants therof: it shall be a jubile unto
you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return
every man unto his family. In the year of this jubile ye shall return every
man unto his possession."
At the Jubilee, all of the debts were canceled, all of the slaves were set free, and all of the land returned to its rightful owner. This is a physical example of the spiritual truths that are fulfilled in Jesus, and will be finished at His return (rapture) for His Bride, and subsequent Second Coming. The debt of sin is canceled, the slaves of sin are set free, and the rulership of the earth will return to Jesus Christ and his Bride forever.
The Seven-Year Jubilee is a Jubilee for canceling debts and a time for setting free. Nothing goes back to its original owner, which is a significant difference between this Jubilee and the Year of Jubilee. However, when applied prophetically to the importance of the meaning to the number six as being the last day, we see that it fits perfectly with our seventh day of rest, as does the Year of Jubilee.
-Leviticus 25:3-4
"Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years
thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in
the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for
the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard."
-Deuteronomy 31:10
"And Moses commanded them, saying, At the end of
every seven years, in the solemnity of the year of release, in the feast
of tabernacles…"
-Exodus 21:2
"If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall
serve: and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing."
-Deuteronomy 15:12
"And if thy brother, an Hebrew man, or an Hebrew
woman, be sold unto thee, and serve thee six years; then in the seventh
year thou shalt let him go free from thee."
-Jeremiah 34:14
"At the end of seven years let ye go every man his
brother an Hebrew, which hath been sold unto thee; and when he hath served
thee six years, thou shalt let him go free from thee."
-Deuteronomy 15:1
"At the end of every seven years thou shalt make
a release. "
ARE WE THERE YET?
Are we at the end of the Seven-Year Jubilee? The answer is YES. Have we served for six years? Again, the answer is YES. Is this Year of Jubilee the one that sees the Church being returned to the Lord? I would again have to say YES. For in order for Christ to fulfill in Himself all things of prophetic significance regarding His Bride, we can not leave out this Jubilee. The next, being the fiftieth year from now could not possibly fit into the Prophetic Timetable outlined previously in this study. Am I setting a concrete date? No. I have however, learned and given several reasons why I believe no other time or season in the history of man, can our "redemption unto Jesus" come to pass, so completely, so perfectly, as that time which is upon us.
"Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken
to the sound of the trumpet."